My family
has recently been informed of some devastating news; being that my grandfather
has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My grandfather, who our family calls
Bumpa, has previously had this type of cancer and has had a piece of his
pancreas removed during treatment. The first round of this disease was a hard
battle for Bumpa to endure; but he beat it and has been in remission for
several years. Bumpa is a strong individual and has worked hard during his life
to provide for his family. He is the glue that helps my family stick together;
his house being the center for holiday celebrations. Unfortunately last October
my grandmother, Bumpa’s beloved wife, lost her own battle with cancer. The news
of Bumpa’s cancer returning shocked and scared are whole family. We were so focused
on trying to keep him occupied not thinking as much about my grandmother’s death
that nobody even thought he would get cancer again. Even though he is older and
my grandmother is not here to support him, we have hope and belief that Bumpa
will make a full recovery and beat this disease again.
When you
hear that someone you love has cancer you first wonder why. You have questions
like; how do they get this disease, why has it happened to this person, or what
the disease even is. Really nobody knows why cancer happens. Scientists have
discovered something’s that may lead to cancer but there is a lack of knowledge
of how one contracts it. Cancer is a scary disease that has many secrets hidden
inside of it. Cancer affects everyone in the families of its victims. The
family members of cancer patients endure emotional roller coasters. As a family
member of various people with cancer or those that have had cancer I have
learned that it is best to be informed. It helps if you know a little bit about
what type of cancer your family member has. Having knowledge on a certain
subject allows a person to feel better about the situation they are in.
To find
out more about my grandfather’s type of cancer I searched the web and came
across the American Cancer Society website. This website helped inform me of what a pancreas
is and what types of cancer can infect it. A pancreas is and organ about six
inches long and 2 inches wide, found deep in the body behind the stomach. Two
different types of glands make up the pancreas. One gland called the exocrine gland
makes pancreatic juice filled with enzymes that help the body break down fats
and proteins. Most cells in the pancreas are a part of the exocrine system. Endocrine cells of the pancreas are arranged
in clusters called islets that produce hormones such as insulin that balance
the amount of sugar in the blood. Both the exocrine and endocrine cells in the
pancreas can develop tumors that may be cancerous. Not all of the tumors of the
pancreatic cells have cancer. A small number of them are cancer free. However,
exocrine tumors are the most common type of pancreatic cancer. These tumors are
called adenocarcinomas cancer, which means that the cancer has started in a
gland cell. The treatment and possible cure of this type of cancer is based on
its severity and size. This type of cancer is most likely the type that my
grandfather currently has. The last time he had cancer in his pancreas it was
called ampullary cancer. This cancer starts where the bile duct and the
pancreatic duct empty into the small intestines. This cancer causes yellowing
of the skin and eyes so it is usually detected early; which happened to Bumpa.
Cancer in these endocrine cells of the pancreas, are less common.
Bumpa has the strength and
support to make a full recovery from his cancer. With the love from our family
we will make sure that he gets the best care possible. We have fortunately
again caught Bumpa’s cancer early. As of right now the doctors have spotted
three cancer spots on his pancreas. They believe that they will be able to
remove his whole pancreas to try and eliminate the cancer completely. Surgery
is Bumpa’s best hope to eliminate his cancer, so we are all praying that he is
able to get it.
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